Traffic restricted on August 13 for I-Day full-dress rehearsal

Traffic restrictions will be imposed in parts of Delhi on August 13 in view of the full-dress rehearsal for the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, with several key roads closed and commercial vehicles and buses diverted, according to a traffic advisory.

The rehearsal for the Independence Day ceremony, to be held at the Red Fort on August 15, will be conducted on August 13. The restrictions have been put in place for security and traffic management around the Red Fort.

According to the advisory, roads around the Red Fort will remain closed to general traffic from 4 am to 10 am on August 13. Only vehicles carrying valid rehearsal labels will be permitted on these stretches.

The affected roads include Netaji Subhash Marg from Delhi Gate to Chatta Rail Chowk, Lothian Road from GPO Delhi to Chatta Rail Chowk, S P Mukherjee Marg from H C Sen Marg to Yamuna Bazar Chowk, Chandni Chowk Road from Fountain Chowk to Red Fort, Nishad Raj Marg from Ring Road to Netaji Subhash Marg, Esplanade Road and its link road to Netaji Subhash Marg, and Ring Road between Rajghat and ISBT.

The traffic police have advised vehicles without parking labels for the rehearsal to avoid India Gate C-Hexagon, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, Sikandra Road, W-Point, A-Point Tilak Marg, Mathura Road, BSZ Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg and J L Nehru Marg.

Commuters have also been advised to avoid Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmere Gate, and the Outer Ring Road stretch between Nizamuddin Khatta and ISBT Kashmere Gate via the Salimgarh bypass during the restricted period. For north-south movement, commuters can use Aurobindo Marg, Safdarjung Road, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Kautilya Marg, S Marg, 11 Murti, Mother Teresa Crescent, Park Street, Mandir Marg, Panchkuian Road and Rani Jhansi Road, according to the advisory.

Another alternative route is available through Connaught Place, Minto Road, Bhavbhuti Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Shradhanand Marg, Lahori Gate Chowk, Naya Bazar, Peeli Kothi and S P Mukherjee Marg up to the ODRS.

Motorists can also cross the Yamuna through Nizamuddin Bridge and take Pushta Road, GT Road and Yudhister Setu to reach ISBT and northern Delhi, the advisory read.

For east-west movement, the traffic police have suggested routes through NH-24/NH-9, Nizamuddin Khatta, Barapulla Road and Ring Road. Vehicles from DND can take Barapulla Road or proceed via Ashram on Ring Road.

Other alternatives include Vikas Marg, IP Marg, DDU Marg and Minto Road before proceeding through Connaught Place or Ajmeri Gate. Pushta Road, GT Road and Yudhister Setu can also be used to reach ISBT Kashmere Gate.

The DND-NH-24/NH-9-Yudhister Setu-Signature Bridge-Wazirabad Bridge route will remain open for reaching Ring Road.

However, the Old Iron Bridge and Geeta Colony Bridge towards Shanti Van will remain closed.

The movement of goods vehicles will be restricted between Nizamuddin Khatta and Wazirabad Bridge from midnight on August 12 until 11 am on August 13. Interstate buses will not be allowed between Maharana Pratap ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT during the same period.

Local city buses, including DTC buses, will not operate on Ring Road between ISBT Kashmere Gate and the NH-24/NH-9 or NH ‘T’ point at Nizamuddin Khatta from midnight to 11 am and will take alternative routes.

Several roads will also remain closed to inter-city and DTC buses during this period, including Lothian Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, S P Mukherjee Marg, Ring Road between Nizamuddin Khatta and the northern loop of ISBT Kashmere Gate, and stretches around C-Hexagon, Sher Shah Road, Dr Zakir Hussain Road, Pandara Road, Shahjahan Road, Akbar Road, Rajpath, Ashoka Road, KG Marg, Copernicus Marg, Tilak Marg, Purana Quila Road, Sikandra Road, Bhagwan Dass Road and BSZ Marg, it read.

Restrictions will also apply on Ashoka Road between Windsor Place and C-Hexagon, KG Marg between Ferozeshah Road and C-Hexagon, Vikas Marg beyond the loop towards Delhi Secretariat, and Mathura Road between Ashram Chowk and W Point.

Buses normally terminating at Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Delhi Main Railway Station will be curtailed at designated points. Buses approaching from south and west Delhi will terminate opposite Ramlila Ground on J L N Marg, while those coming from north, northwest and east Delhi will be curtailed at Mori Gate and Tis Hazari. Buses approaching from north Delhi via Ring Road will terminate at Boulevard Road opposite Maharaja Agrasen Park.